Journal entry – John Grey – 10 Jan 1835

Saturday 10th January 1835



      Had a long interview this morning with Mr Benson, setting the Covenants for a new Lease of the Haugh Farm, during which, I did not fail to admonish him on the subject of his former mismanagement, & warn him that the Covenants should be strictly drawn out as well as attended to in future.  He promised to turn over a new leaf and make great improvements. Mentioned some Cattle Sheds that are in a ruinous state & a foot path through his Stack Yard that should be altered, & some other matters all of which I shall look into in due time.   I learned from Mr Reed, to my great mortification, that he declined taking Dilston New Town farm, having come to an Agreement for his own, which he considered the cheaper of the two.  Indeed I had little hope of him from my former interview, he said so many grounds of objection, & one especially of his own creating, that he has offered too much Rent.  The first two offers for this Farm being withdrawn, the 3rd is from one Pigg of Greenridge who offers for all the Farms in the Country, but who is set aside for more desirable Tenants.  Being unwilling to treat with him, if I can help it, & the other offers, besides being very low, having come from Persons who are already supplied with Farms since their Proposals were sent off, I wrote to Mr Stephenson & Mr Potts who were both unsuccessful Candidates for the other Farms, & who are well reported of, to say that this Farm  was at liberty, if they chose to look at & offer for it.   I wrote also to the same effect to Mr Lee, telling him that as Mr Peacock had not got the Farm of Newtonhall, he was not inclined to vacate Esphill this Season, but that this situation might suit his Son.

      I wrote at the same time to the Secretary informing him of these circumstances & asking instructions, whether the farm, must be again advertized, or the parties treated with, that might come forward.   Mr Bell returned from viewing Allerwash & seemed to think favourably of the Lime Stone, & not very unfavourably of the Coal, only that in a short time, a new sinking must be made.  He observed that as the Railway may not be in such a state of progress as to benefit the Concern for two years to come a Bridge being to be created over the Tyne, the Lessees in the meantime should be allowed to burn Lime for Sale at the Carrstones now used by the Tenants supplying them at the price they now pay, & to sell Fire Coal from Brokenheugh, as at present, otherwise he would have no return & could pay no Rent till the Railway should come into use.    There seems reason in this, & I desired him to state all such particulars in his Proposal which would obtain due consideration.    He had been down the Pit & says there is a top Coal that should still be sold for Fire Coal, having abundance of an inferior kind of Lime burning.  Mr Forsters Idea was that if the vend of Lime should come up to my expectations, the whole of the Coal had better be reserved for burning it, but he will be better able to judge of this in a new winning.  Bell told me too that the present Lessee, or his man, talked of working out some Pillars near the Shaft that would likely cause a ‘Creep’ & impede the future workings.  I believe there is no Lease of that Concern, but I wrote to the Lessee to guard him against doing any thing injurious to the Hospitals Interest, or that would be prohibited in the usual covenants in Colliery Leases, which I should direct Mr Forster to look at.

      Mr Jobling of Newtonhall having called here in my absence, I filled up an agreement for the Farm there, & went to see him, but unfortunately he was from home.  Rode through that & the Thornbrough Farms on my way home.